The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-11-04
THE CELEBRATED $500.
WHAT DID CLINTON DEPRIEST %
WITH HIS BOODLEY
tigating Committee OF Ten-Depriest on
the stand-He Says lie Received the
Money but Did Not Spend II Corruptly.

The Special Committee of ten to in
vestigate the ! 800 received by Clinton
Depriest for the alleged purpose OF in
huencif members Of the City Council in
the selection of tn. plans for the City
Hall, held a meeting in the Chsncery
Courtroom last evening at 5 o'clock
There were present Messrs. Rowland
Hill (chairman), G. c. Bryan, J. T.
Montg merry, Thomas Potts, NJ. I.
Clarke, and y. w. Bowe City-AttOrney
Meredith was also present.
On being requested to give his opinion
a. TO the proper mode OF procedure, the
City Attorney stated that there was no
power 20 compel witnesses 10 take an
oath, but it might be left to the witnesses
whether or not they would swear to tell
the truth.
DEPRIEsT CALLED AND SWORN.
Mr.. Depriest, who was attended by his
counsel, Edmund Waddill, Jr., was called,
and. being duly sworn by Mr. G. G. Bryan,
"a notary public, said that he did have a
contract with +. +. Meyers to secure the
adoption by the Council of their plans for
the City Hall He drafted the contract,
but IL was officially drawn up By Mayor
Darlington He had a copy Of the origi-
nal contract because after Myers had
paid him the 81 800 he Myers demand
ed a surrender Of the document.
THE DRAFT OF THE CONTRACT
was then read. Ii provided, in effect,
that whereas the Myers plans had once
been rejected, and Mr. l.. +. Myers de-
sired very much that they should be
adopted, be agreed to pay Clinton De-
priest 81 500 IT, through his influence,
such ans were finally decided on.
Witness i'm response TO questions then
stated that he was paid the money on the
very day that the city issued the warrant
for The payment Of the urst installment
of $4,000 to the Messrs. Myers for their
plans He then read
WRITTEN STATEMENT.
which, he said, had been written out for
him bv Mr.. John Wise's clerk, on a type
writer. 20 the effect that he had received
The 81 500 and had used his influence
and best efforts TO have the Myers plans
adopted. but that he bad not used a
cent of the money for corrupt purposes,
or among any members Of the Council.
lie also had read a letter, upon the basis
of which he said the Mayor had drawn
up the contract. lie also said that he
approached the Mayor, not as an official,
but as a lawyer.
A PECULIAR BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS.
Mr. Meredith asked witness how il was
that Myers, who was a business man,
q az la D. inn IfYffUl.a u
: 500 for services without specifying
what such services were TO be. He re-
piled that he could not tell why Mr..
Myers did so.
q. DO YOU mean 10 tell this committee
that YOU demanded from Mr.. Myers $500
cash and : 900 contingent upon the sue
cess Of his plans only for doing little
talking and for hanging up few pic
lures
A. did, sir.
Q. Do you not think such payment
very liberal
4. BY no means. Mr.. Myers merely
wanted me to act as his agent to get
his plans through the Council
SO as to save him from bringing
suit against the city. which he pro.
posed insttuting, and which would have
cost him at least : 800.
Witness then said that he did not offer
amy suggestion to the Committee on
Grounds and Buildings, and that he
really did nothing more than give all in
/ formation to the Council about these
/ plans which he possessed, and placed
before the Council pictures of the plans
He talked with a number of Councilmer
with whom he strongly advocated the
adoption Of the plans, but he did not use
any undue or corrupt influence Will
them. He did not himself attempt tC
explain the merits Of the plans but al
wavs said to every Councilman whom b,
apprOached on the .bject, that if they
had any doubts as to the merits OF the
TWO sets Of plans in controversy, be
wished them to ask Colonel Cutshaw
opinion.
INTRODUCED TO MYERS.
On being further questioned, witness
stated that he was introduced 10 Mr. My
ers AT the Exchange Hotel where he wa
I'D meet some friends, but he objected q
telling who those friends were and wher'
they resided. He thought, however, h'
Was introduced by Mr. Louis Pizzini, wh'
was one of the friends with whom he haC
an engagement. The next morning al
II o'clock Mr. Myers came to his (wit
nessl house to see him about the con
tract. and il was during this visit tha
said contract was agreed upon Atte
this was done all he attempted TO do was
to get the proper legislation from Coun
ell to carry out the purpose for which h'
was employed His principal work va
TO Law all the information he could get be
fore Council. He got the contract il
July and drew his pay in October.
By Mr. Bryan About twenty minute
ago YOU said you used your inhuenc
with the stone cutters as well as with III
Council in favor of the Myers plans.
A. Becau-e there was four times a
much stone work in the Myers tnan II
the Waite and Cutter plans.
THE SUN or THE MATTER 50 FAR.
The examination was continued a
considerable length, witness being ex
haustivelv cross examined by his COun